Archive for the ‘Fantasy’ Category

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for today is from

Raker

A short story follow up to Dark Nights

by Christopher A. Gray

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Genre: Science fiction/fantasy

Teaser #1 from 14% in the eBook

Plato was enormous by any measure. Shoulders nearly a meter wide, a main torso almost as wide, two meters in height…enough weaponry and ordinance to start a full scale police action..

When he entered a room, a building or street scene, everybody knew it.

Teaser #2 from 32% in the eBook

Both policemen noticed the man’s frozen stare and turned around. Through the drizzle they saw the large shape of the android. Everyone went silent.

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A while ago, I hosted a blog tour for Christopher A Gray’s novel Dark Nights.

Since then he has written a short story follow up, RAKER, which is available for FREE on Amazon til September 21st and he’s going for perma-free.

Some of the characters in Dark Nights make an appearance in the short, but RAKER was written as a stand-alone, without you needing to have read the novel first.

However, if you like the short story, you may be intrigued enough to read Dark Nights.

Go HERE to get your free copy.

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Book Description:

RAKER
1. noun

Remote Armed Kinesthetic Engagement & Reconnaissance android, used primarily by Fire Departments and Police Departments in the United States. RAKERs are deployed for rescue, bomb disposal, and other tasks which are deemed too dangerous for humans. Some models are being manufactured for the armed forces to serve as offensive battlefield weapons.

Christopher A. Gray’s RAKER follows an incident one evening when Dr. Norman Stravinsky sends his RAKER android out to deliver a sensitive file to a colleague. When it encounters a crime in progress, the android must decide whether to interrupt its primary duties as bodyguard to Stravinsky in order to prevent the crime from continuing. The decision results in a confrontation between itself and the Seattle Police Department.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Where the Staircase Ends by Stacy Stokes

Doesn’t that title just grab you?

After I spotted it I became curious what the cover would look like.

I can’t wait for you to see it.

It’s spectacular.

You’ll love it!

I’ll shut up and let you see it. LOL

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

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Where the Staircase Ends

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After her best friend orchestrates the lie that destroys her reputation, Taylor wants more than anything to disappear from her life. But when an accident turns this unspoken wish into reality, instead of an angel-filled afterlife, Taylor must climb a seemingly endless staircase into the sky.

Instead of going up, the journey plunges her into the past. As she unravels the mystery behind her friend’s betrayal, she must face the truth about life and find the strength to forgive the unforgivable — unless the staircase breaks her first.

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add to goodreads
Title: Where the Staircase Ends
Publication date: April 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Stacy Stokes

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

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Stacy Stokes attended the University of Texas at Austin and The Wharton School of Business. She grew up in Dallas, TX, and currently lives in San Francisco with her husband. WHERE THE STAIRCASE ENDS is her first novel.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

An eBook copy of Where the Staircase Ends.

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

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(Winners will receive their book on release day)

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.

It’s the tour Grand Finale for
The Cinderella Theorem
By Kristee Ravan

Did you enjoy this logical fairy tale journey? If you missed any posts, go back and check them out now! Be sure to enter the giveaway as well!!

Launch with Excerpt (click on the link to read the full excerpt)

“Right. Well,” she took a breath. “To begin, I should say that your father is not dead.”

“But, he is dead. You told me that he died–that the train he was on hit a cow.”[i]

“No, Sweetie.” She patted my knee. “He’s not dead. He is alive and he’s coming to dinner.”

“I don’t understand. The train wrecked, the cow died, Dad died. You showed me the news story.”

Mom sighed. (Why is she sighing? Did she think that I would automatically understand? Did I miss the Lily, your dad is not dead memo?) “There was a train wreck, a cow did die. And it was on the news. But your father was not on the train.”

[i] If I seem a little slow to understand what my mom is telling me, keep in mind that fifteen years of believing my dad is dead is greater than 3 minutes of hearing he is alive. (15 > 3.)

Kelly P’s Blog – Inspiration for The Cinderella Theorem

Once upon a time, in a library far, far away, I discovered the fairy tale shelf. I remember it was in a sunny area. The books were smaller than normal and were a part of a set. I checked them out over and over again. I’m sure my seven-year-old self had heard or had all these fairy tales read to her before, but this was the first time, I was able to read them for myself. This began a life-long love for fairy tales…

Coffee Books & Art – Anatomy of a Good Bad Guy

Confession: I love to write Levi, the evil villain in The Cinderella Theorem. He’s to develop, he makes Lily (and everyone else) squirm and lose their cool, plus he’s greasy. Let’s explore the qualities that make up a good bad guy…

The Wonderings of One Person – Interview

Is there a singular character that really touched your heart and why?

Lily has to make a couple of choices to be brave in the story. One of those is when she decides that she’d rather face facts and get to know her (previously believed dead) father than hold on to the nice, neat “story” of what she believed happened. I’m not always best at making hard choices, or being willing to do what is hard, so that aspect of Lily inspired me.

Bookworm Lisa – A Book About Math? Really??

I need to let you in on a little secret. There’s math in my book. Probably an above average amount. It’s not a math book, but there is way more math in it than you would find in a regular book. And while I don’t think I’m BFFs with math, I do think I’m friendly with math. Which is interesting because there was a time in my life that math and I were not friendly at all…

Shannon’s Blog – Review

“I liked the first-person writing style of The Cinderella Theorem; I thought Lily had a good voice. The characters were quirky and likable, and the ideas and world itself were delightful. The Cinderella Theorem is an enjoyable book, a fun play on the old fairy tales. Recommended.”

Simplistic Reviews – Promo

Skye Malone’s Blog – Fairy Tales You Aren’t Reading — But Should (Part One)

In my book, The Cinderella Theorem, a lot of the fairy tale world’s usual subjects show up: Cinderella, the Gingerbread Man, Sleeping Beauty. But I also got to shed some light on some of the rarer tales around, like the Erlking…

Wonderous Reviews – Interview

What is your favorite thing about writing a book partly set in a fairy-tale world?

Thinking up things like Marvelous Midas Creme—magical ice cream made by King Midas. From one carton, everyone will magically have whatever flavor is their favorite in their bowl. Creating the structure for HEA (The Office of Happily Ever After Affairs) was a lot of fun too!

Mythical Books – Why I Heart Beauty and the Beast

Everyone’s got a favorite fairy tale and mine is Beauty and the Beast. There are a lot of reasons this tale could be my favorite, but the truth is there’s only one reason that it is my favorite…

Rockin’ Book Reviews – Interview

2. This not only has a mathematical twist but a comical twist to the Cinderella theme? Will this become a series? If so, what type of theme will follow? If not, what will be your next project?

I am working on a sequel called Calculating Christmas. It will be a Christmas theme as Lily and her friends try to save Christmas. I also know what the third book will be about, but haven’t really planned it yet.

Sarah’s StoryLines – The Shocking Truth About Fairy Tales

They start with once upon a time and end with everyone living happily ever after and in between those two things there is singing, talking woodland animals and a good deal of magic. Everyone knows that’s how fairy tales go. But do we really know these tales?

Katy’s Krazy Books – Review

“I absolutely loved The Cinderella Theorem!! It was amazing. I thought it was so cool how Lily grew as a character and learned all these different lessons. The footnotes that the author added at the bottom of the pages were so great and helpful.”

Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima – Review

“This is definitely the most unique fantasy novel I’ve read in a long time (and I read a lot of fantasy)! I love the main character and the way she views the world in terms of math.”

My Devotional Thoughts – Interview

What kind of research (if any) do you do for your books?

Because math and fairy tales are so important in these books, I try to keep them in my mind by following blogs about fairy tales and math. I also read books about math and fairy tales. (Women in Mathematics and The Witch Must Die are what I’m working through now.) I’ve found that I’m faster at writing if I don’t stop to research in the moment, so I’ve started jotting down post-it notes of things to look up later. I’ve got some math friends that I ask questions of when needed. My friend, Kelly, helped me think of a math poster to be in Lily’s bedroom. I also use the internet quite a bit.

The Written Adventure – A Deleted Scene

Mom hadn’t mentioned what I was supposed to wear for the interview, but then again, Mom hadn’t mentioned the interview either. There were a lot of things going unmentioned in the Sparrow family these days. Like my dad isn’t really dead, like I’m a princess, like I’m having a ball in my honor. So in the grand scheme of things unmentioned by my mother, what was one reporter, showing up unannounced, knocking on my bedroom door…

Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews – Review

“I expected it to be okay, but it far surpassed my expectations. I picked it up and couldn’t stop! I was laughing out loud the entire time!… This book was SO much fun! I honestly loved every minute of it. The romance was fleeting, but promised more. I can’t wait for the next book!”

Mel’s Shelves – Review

“I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more! I felt that I learned more about both fairytales and math while reading it so I feel smarter now than I was before I started. The ending was great and left me wanting more, so I was glad to get a sneak peek into the next book, Calculating Christmas (which is hopefully coming soon). If you or someone you know loves math, this book is a no brainer! If you don’t enjoy math, you will still find plenty about it to love, so give it a chance!!”

My Life, Loves and Passion – Review

“This is a very interesting spin on fairy tales. I did truly enjoy the story. It was fun to think how I would feel as a teenager in this situation. She uses math to rationalize life. For a 15 year old girl I did not find her annoying. Most of the time the female character can be whinny and boy crazy. Lily was not like that and I was glad for a change of pace. A great fun read.”

Katie’s Clean Book Collection – Review

“I’m not into math, but I love fairy tales. I passed my math classes, but it’s not my favorite subject, and I wasn’t sure how a story about fairy tales could possibly tie into math. But it worked! I thought it was very creative and the story was even written in a math book-type of format–little side notes and footnotes. It was interesting to see the way a logical girl could come to accept a fantasy world–almost like right brain meets left brain.”

Book Briefs – Review

“The Cinderella Theorem overall was a really great read. I had a few small issues with the book early, but they were minor things and I am so glad that I didn’t let them get in the way of enjoying the story, because this was a book that just kept getting better and better. I loved the concept of the story and the main character, Lily was a delight.”

Deal Sharing Aunt – Review

“What I liked the most is that the author had me laughing. A lot. I can not wait until the next book comes out and I read more about these characters!”

A Backwards Story – From The Fireland Flame

From the Fireland Flame, the daily newspaper of EG Smythe’s Salty Fire Land:
Tybalt’s Tales, Gossip from all the Genres

August 19th has finally arrived! The day we’ve all been waiting for, Fireland! Princess Lily turns 15 today and finds out that she’s really a princess. How will our secret Protector respond?

Coffee, Books and Me – What’s in a Name?

Even though no one ever spells it correctly, I love my first name: Kristee. It’s unique and special and though a Google search will reveal that there are other Kristees in the world. I personally have never met one, and I know there’s no one else named “Kristee Ravan” (Kudos to my husband for giving me a unique last name, that no one ever spells correctly either…). So when I began creating Lily’s world, I wanted to be intentional with the names of the people and places. Here’s the inside scoop on what some the names mean.

I Am A Reader – Fairy Tales You Aren’t Reading, But Should, Part 2

Snow White and Rose Red

First of all, this is not the Snow White who hangs with the seven dwarves. This Snow White and her sister, Rose Red, were named for rosebushes that grew in front of their cottage, where the girls and their mother lived a happy life in the woods. (The dad’s dead.)

Dividing by Zero – Review

“The characters are well developed (and fun!), the plot is entertaining and very creative, the writing flows well, the dialogue is natural sounding and true to the character who’s speaking, and it’s overall just a good, fun read. I was also geekily excited that Lily shares information about Pi Day (March 14th – 3/14 – because pi is 3.14159… get it?) I’m looking very much forward to The Lily Sparrow Chronicles Book 2: Calculating Christmas…”

Calling for Reviewers!

We’re looking for reviewers! You don’t need a blog to sign up, but you do need to at least post a review on Amazon. Other sites (blog, Goodreads, etc.) are also appreciated. Reviews must be completed by the end of November. To sign up, please fill out this form.

The Cinderella Theorem
(The Lily Sparrow Chronicles #1)
by Kristee Ravan
YA Urban Fantasy
Paperback, 367 pages
March 17th 2014

Fairy tales are naturally non-mathematical. That is a fact, and fifteen-year-old Lily Sparrow loves factual, mathematical logic. So when her mother confesses that Lily’s deceased father is (a) not dead, (b) coming to dinner, and (c) the ruler of a fairy tale kingdom accessible through the upstairs bathtub, Lily clings to her math to help her make sense of this new double life (1 life in the real world + 1 secret life in the fairy tale world = a double life).

Even though it’s not mathematical, Lily finds herself being pulled into a mystery involving an unhappy Cinderella, a greasy sycophant called Levi, and a slew of vanishing fairy tale characters. Racing against the clock, with a sound mathematical plan, Lily attempts to save her fairy tale friends while proving that normality = happiness.

Amazon

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Author Kristee Ravan

Kristee Ravan lives in Oklahoma with her husband, daughter, and pet fish, Val (short for Valentine). She wanted to be many things as she grew up including a general, an artist, and an architect. But she never bothered to say, “I want to be a writer when I grow up.” She was always writing stories and thought of herself as a writer anyway. She sent her first story to a publisher in the sixth grade. (It was rejected – in a nice way.) When she is not making up stories in her head, she enjoys reading, juggling, green smoothies, playing dollhouse with her daughter, and hearing from her fans. You can contact Kristee at the facebook page for her Lily Sparrow books: The Lily Sparrow Chronicles.

WebsiteGoodreadsFacebookAmazon

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Tour-Wide Giveaway

5 copies of The Cinderella Theorem

(print for US winners ,ebook for international winners)

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Ends August 31st

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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I wish I’d had time to read this before the blitz. I would have loved to do a review for ya.

For now I have the blurb and an awesome giveaway, so don’t forget to enter!

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Eyes of the Enemy

BlackMyst Trilogy

By: Kelly Hess

Genre: YA/MG Fantasy

Publication Date: August 26, 2014

Published By: Booktrope Publishing

 

When a rogue band of the dreaded Sorak attacks his village, twelve-year-old Beynn Firehand escapes into the darkness of BlackMyst Forest to find help. During his quest, Beynn discovers his own powerful magic abilities.

 

The price of his newfound powers, however, may be higher than he ever imagined.

 

  

(more…)

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We’re so excited to share the cover of ARRGH! by Stacey Campbell, a middle grade fantasy adventure. This book releases September 24th, 2014.

 

Description:


Forced to remain silent after being kidnapped by pirates Christopher must find a way to save an innocent merchant ship’s captain and his daughter from the evil grasp of Captain Redblade proving that friendship and family are worth fighting for no matter the costs.
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About the Author:

Stacey R. Campbell lives in the Pacific North West with her husband, three daughters, three dogs, and a pet

IMG_1648 (1)turtle named Todd. She is a graduate of the University of Washington. At the age of seven Stacey was told that she would never be the writer she dreamed of being because she is dyslexic. Finally Stacey found that she could not look her children in the eyes and tell them that they could be what ever they wanted to be if she did not do the same. Now Stacey can’t stop writing and loves to help children pursue their own dreams. Stacey is the young adult author of Hush, A Lakeview Novel and Whisper, A Lakeview Novel. ARRGH! is Stacey’s first middle grade book.

For more books from this author, visiting information, and author events please visit Stacey at:

 

You can also learn more about Stacey R. Campbell on

 

Live in the Seattle area? Meet Stacey Campbell, YA author Martha Brockenbrough and others at the UW bookstore, Mill Creek, on October 9th at 7:00! There will also be a book launch for ARRGH!, Dec. 3rd at 7:00 at the UW Bookstore in the U district.
Giveaway:
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Paperbacks of HUSH & WHISPER (Young Adult)- US only
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ebook of ARRGH! (Middle Grade)- INT
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Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find any sentence or a

few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

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I shuddered violently and reached for the handle to close the door. As if I had suddenly cut myself, my hand recoiled, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

The handle was wet and it wasn’t raining…

I noticed for the first time, just how many windows faced the porch. Many. Too Many. “Why didn’t we ever get blinds?”

I reached for the remote. I was going to watch my vampire show, damn it.

I had my shit together. Then my pocket buzzed, and I skyrocketed off the couch.

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Waking the Merrow

by Heather Rigney

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Synopsis

In 1772, angry Rhode Island colonists set fire to a British ship, sparking the American Revolution. Taxation without representation was a motivator. So was the vengeful, man-eating mermaid who had it out for the commanding officer.

That was then. This is now.

Mermaids, or merrow, still hunt in Narragansett Bay, but these days they keep a lower profile.

At night, centuries-old Nomia seduces smutty frat boys, lures them into icy waters, and feeds them to her voracious kin. By day, she and her half-breed daughter attempt to blend in at the coastal Village Playground.

But Nomia slips up. She makes a friend. Then she makes that friend disappear, and someone notices.

Thirty-something Evie McFagan just wants to make it through working motherhood. But she’s a blistering stew of issues—snarky alcoholic and a friendless funeral director who just witnessed Nomia dismembering a guy at the nearby yacht club.

When Evie believes a mermaid stole her baby, who will help? The merrow of Ireland? Or maybe anti-hero Evie will surprise everyone, including herself, and summon the strength to save her own family.

Intertwining the stories of two primordial families with the colonial history of Narragansett Bay,  Waking the Merrow is a dark historical fantasy.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Haven’t heard of The Tesla Gate?

Let me introduce you. I have the stunning cover art, the synopsis, and the prologue.

And an awesome giveaway too.

Take a look around, but beware of the coming storm!

Tesla Gate.

The Tesla Gate

When a cosmic storm enters Earth’s atmosphere, scientists are baffled by its composition and origins, but not nearly as much as they are by the storm’s side effect – anyone who has died and chosen not to cross over is suddenly stranded here, visible, and can interact with the living.

With the world thrown into chaos, Thomas Pendleton is eager to make up for many broken promises to his six-year-old son, Seth. Soon after the storm, they set out on a road trip to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, completely unaware of the social and political maelstrom they’re heading into that will change their lives forever.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Goodreads

Excerpt (The prologue)

The day the storm hit, the world was changed forever.

Its severity would not be measured in property damage or loss of life, although the latter could be argued. This storm’s impact turned man’s beliefs completely upside down; the social upheaval would be worse than the aftermath of any storm in history.

Though this storm did not bring hurricane force winds, driving rain, cyclones or even floods, its effects would be far more subtle … but the impact every bit as palpable. This storm had unique origins and, unlike most weather events, it was not relegated to one geographic area. Indeed it covered the entire planet; no one was left unaffected.

Living or dead.

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john mimmsAuthor John D. Mimms

John D. Mimms is a business owner, paranormal researcher, and author. John served as the Technical Director for the Arkansas Paranormal and Anomalous Studies Team (ARPAST). During his four-year tenure with the organization, he helped supervise over 100 investigations and wrote more than sixteen technical articles. One of John’s articles, titled “A Christmas Carol Debunked,” was read live on Parazona Radio by Paul Bradford of Ghost Hunters International fame. John also wrote the ARPAST technical/training manual which is a comprehensive guide on equipment usage, investigation protocol, and scientific theory for paranormal research.

In 2009 John decided to couple his knowledge of paranormal phenomena with his lifelong love of literary fiction. Among his titles are The Great Keep, Death Theory, and The Lemonade Girl. John is currently working on book two of The Tesla Gate trilogy.

Facebook * Website * Blog * Twitter

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Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

Ends 8/7/14

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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Wouldn’t it be great if you could help an author write her next story? Well, Anna Simpson needs your help. I’m going to turn my blog over to Anna today and let her tell you her fantabulous news!

Then you can have fun helping her with her next story!

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When a writer gets something published, there are certain expectations. Everyone knows this. But I’m not sure what to do this time and need your help. Roane Publishing has asked me to write a short story as a free read, and your guidance would give me a place to start.

Since my only work to-date with Roane is Mexmur, The Huntress; this will be the story I’m going to promote.

If you’ve not read it yet, take a look at this:

Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson

 

Long ago a dragonkeeper betrayed his charges. To bring back magic, to set things right, Mexmur is sent through the portal.

Can she succeed armed with only a poem, talon and blade.

Need more? Okay. How about this.

Betrayed, the dragons fled into a portal. Years later, a young huntress and a failure of a prince join together to go after them. Not only are the dragons the only way to fulfill the duos goal, the beasties want revenge. With only an old legend and poem as a guide, and very different ideas on how to succeed, Mexmur and Recser try to return magic to their kingdom.

oOo

Here are some story ideas:

The Hunter – Mexmur was only a huntress in training when her father died. What happened to him? How? Was she there and how did it affect her?

The Legend of The Dragonkeeper – A simple man brought magic to the land by betraying he charges. Want to know more about the old legend and why it happened at all?

The Dragons – Near extinction and depending on the kindness of the kingdom, the last of the dragons trickled magic back into the land. Why so little magic? Why did they need a dragonkeeper? What happened to all the rest?

Or is there something else you’d prefer?

Please put your requests/suggestions into the comments. What would you prefer to read about?

Remember this will be a short short story so please keep this in mind when making your suggestions. I’ll try to go with the majority. Who knows maybe I’ll receive enough suggestions that it will spark a brand new tale.

Which one do you like? What questions would you like answered? What do you want more of? I’m a writer and can make your dreams come true—on paper if nowhere else.

oOo

Portals: A Fantasy Anthology

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Genre: Fantasy Anthology (mixed sub genres)

Keywords: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Short Stories, Picture Prompt

Description: No matter what world you call home, or what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren’t meant to be tread.

Authors:

Christy Thomas | Anna Simpson | Echo Shea | Havva Hurat

Laurie Treacy | Michael Siciliano

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Laura’s thoughts on Anna Simpson’s Mexmur, The Huntress

If you love dragons, this ones for you.

Mexmur is forced to enter the portal to recharge a talisman of magic. The King is willing to sacrifice her and his son in his quest to steal power from the dragons.

Can a spoiled prince and a lowly huntress survive the dragon’s breath? Or will they become a meal?

Mexmur is a huntress so she has skills to hunt the dragon. The spoiled prince has some surprises of his own and I grew to like him. These two both learn a lot once through the portal and the dragons are great teachers.

I really enjoyed the dragon characters. They had their own agenda and played a big part in the story.

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Okay! Are you ready to help Anna? Please leave your suggestions in the comments. You can choose from what Anna has provided or tell her some of your own ideas for the story! We can’t wait for your ideas!

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Image of Anna Simpson

About Anna:
Remember that there may be many an Anna Simpson, but only one emaginette.
Contact me:

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.Purchase Links

PRINT

Roane Publishing | Createspace | Amazon

Digital

Roane Publishing | Amazon | Amazon (UK)

Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords / Bookstrand

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Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Avian (The Dragonrider Chronicles #2)

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by Nicole Conway

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

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What kind of power is lurking inside him?

After a year of training to become a dragonrider, Jaevid Broadfeather has been sent home to rest during a three-month interlude. But when he returns to find the king drake has chosen Beckah Derrick as his new rider, Jaevid realizes something big is about to happen. Every fiber of his being is pushed to the breaking point as Jaevid battles through his avian year, preparing for the final graduation test of the battle scenario. But there is more standing in his way than a few pushups and fancy sword moves.

Jaevid must face a new fear as he is tormented by a gruesome nightmare of a mysterious gray elf warrior murdering the royal family of Maldobar. It seems obvious to him that this is some kind of message about how the war started long ago—until Felix assures him the king is very much alive. With his strange powers growing stronger by the day, and that violent dream replaying in his mind every night, Jaevid no longer wonders if he will pass his avian year or not . . . he wonders if he will even survive it.

The truth will soon be set loose.

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add to goodreads

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Title: Avian (The Dragonrider Chronicles #2)
Publication date: August 26, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Nicole Conway

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

NicoleConwayPhoto

Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.

Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.

She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.

Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook

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Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

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Welcome to my Monday Minis.

For today I’ll be reviewing two books.

Up first:

At Least He’s Not On Fire

by Chris Philbrook 

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My Review

Inside these pages you’ll get some short stories and samples from some of the author’s books. This I particularly liked, because I got a feel for the writing and met some of the characters. And I also got a hint about the stories. Great tease by the author and he hooked me.

All In is wicked fun.

Do you think you can bluff the devil? Do you have a better poker face?

Wally’s about to find out.

Wally isn’t lucky. He’s just lost everything at the gaming tables. He sends out an invitation and the devil answers.

Now it’s poker with Nick and the stakes are high. And the devil’s in the details.

I could see the end coming but the author took me around the bend, giving me hope for Wally. The twist was all to his advantage, but I remembered Wally is greedy. That’s why he’s broke

**

Hell Hole

The sink hole was bad. Really bad. Sucking everything down into the collapsing Earth. But that’s not all you have to worry about. It’s what’s stirring down there in the deep abyss that you should really be worrying about.

Some people just never learn and we all pay the price.

When soldiers discover a temple in the jungle, why don’t they listen to the native’s warnings. With evidence showing what will happen, why would anyone open that hole?

Big hole, superstition, folklore, add fools, stir. Recipe for disaster.

Well, if someone didn’t we wouldn’t have this fun, creepy story. I love stories with creatures in them. The author gave me some really good ones and , from watching copious horror movies, It was easy to visualize the scenery and the monsters. I even put some actors faces to the characters.

**

The Vampire of Menlo Park

Very interesting premise. Imagine Thomas Edison was a vampire.

This was fun.

Poor Geoffrey had no idea what he was getting into when he went to work for Mr. Edison.

He did know he was uneasy. Why did Edison never come out in daylight? Why were the previous interns never seen again? Why did he feel unsettled around Edison?

The fun begins when Geoffrey gets the answers to his questions.

The author threw me a curve ball with his ending. Honestly didn’t see it coming and that’s something I really enjoyed.

**

I’m especially interested in Tesser: A Dragon Among Us.

The story is partly told from Tesser’s(the dragon) POV and he’s just awakened from a very long sleep to find he’s living under Boston. Mankind now rules Earth and he’s entering a world that no longer believes in dragon.

I liked how the plot was set up and ‘flew’ through this sample.

This I’ll be reading ASAP!

**

Then there are samplings from Dark Recollections and Wrath of the Orphans. I’m a huge fan of zombie and undead stories so these will be added to my summer reading list. When the undead attack the fighting and the group dynamics become the focal points and this is where these type of stories really shine for me.

From Adrian’s journal in Dark Recollections:

“State and local agencies are reporting widespread attacks on citizens across the region. authorities are advising people to stay inside, lock their doors, bar their windows and only open doors for known friends and family who respond intelligently”

Figures they wouldn’t say the words, “beware of zombies.”

From Wrath of the Orphans:

Twins Malwynn and Umaryn might have been good once.

Now they’ve sworn an oath and now they’ll have their pound of flesh.

I was pulled right into this one.

The world of Elmoryn is fascinating and there are many characters to love and hate.

The beginning is a bit slow as the author builds his world. I didn’t mind this as I wanted to get a real feel for the story.

Once the world is revealed and the plot begins, it’s a rush of action and vengeance. This is a very dark story indeed.

Loving character driven stories, I quickly became fond of  Malwynn and Umaryn. I felt for their loss, raged alongside them and understood the actions they took.

This could become an epic fantasy.

I enjoyed all of these. While trying not to play favorites, I’ll add that I am partial to dragons.

If you’re looking for some new adventures and enjoy a few quick reads to entertain you, I’d highly recommend you try this collection. There’s something for everyone.

  4 Stars

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Synopsis

I’m an odd dude. But I write some decent stuff, and here’s my way of sharing my odd dude thoughts. I’m the author of three ‘major’ series; Adrian’s Undead Diary, Elmoryn’s The Kinless Trilogy, and the Reemergence Novels, the first of which is Tesser: A Dragon Among Us. To help folks get a taste of my writing, I’ve put At Least He’s Not On Fire together. Inside this wonderful electronic tome of my words, you’ll find a healthy sized sampler of each of my major works, as well as several short stories that are mixed in for your entertainment. All in, Hell Hole, and The Vampire of Menlo Park are all great fun, and I hope you enjoy them.Dark Recollections: Book One of Adrian’s Undead Diary

Beheading a zombie isn’t easy in a world where you’re more afraid of the living than the dead.

Adrian Ring’s simple life is thrown into chaos when the world is ripped apart by a plague of undead and legions of desperate survivors. Retreating to Auburn Lake Preparatory Academy, Adrian attempts to rescue friends and family on the way while dancing around his impending insanity over who and what he left behind, and evading maniac survivors. He saves his cat Otis, but shoots his mom. Pretty successful, all things considered.

Dark Recollections is the first part of Adrian’s own story of how he survived after “That Day.” Told through his eyes as he talks to his laptop, affectionately named ‘Mr. Journal,” and through short stories that entwine with his tales that bring forth dark visions of a world being eaten alive by an unimaginable evil. Adrian’s Undead Diary is an eight part epic about a solitary, guilt stricken man that didn’t think he deserved to live, but realizes very soon that he survived, and suffered for a reason.

The Wrath of the Orphans: Book One of The Kinless Trilogy
Malwynn and his twin sister Umaryn live in a small town in northern Varrland. In idyllic New Picknell nearly nothing happens, and when their day to day routine is interrupted by a skirmish between an invading patrol of the dead from The Amaranth Empire and a defending force from Varrland, their world begins to come undone.

With international war looming on the horizon New Picknell becomes the center of quite unwanted attention, and the twins have their world shattered. With nothing left to lose, they set out on a mission of vengeance that will take them to places they’d never dreamed of visiting, discovering mystical powers in The Way that will change their lives forever, and revealing dark knowledges best left undiscovered.

Tesser: A Dragon Among Us A Novel of the Reemergence
Imagine for a moment that you are a Dragon. A creature of unimaginable power, unending intelligence and strength, and you’ve just woken from ten thousand years of slumber. Worse yet, you’ve awoken underneath a city; Boston, an alien and strange place that defies everything you’ve ever known.

Your last memories were of primordial forests, erupting volcanoes sculpting a developing world, faeries, witches, vampires, krakens, and monsters that feared where you turned your eyes.

But all that is gone. Humans, only barely coming into their own in the world from your memory, have taken over. They have erected cities made of stone and steel erupting from the earth like stalagmites reaching for the high blue sky, and developed sciences that have overshadowed even the glory of old magic.

This was not the way it was supposed to be.

Meet Tesser, the Dragon. He who walks in any form, and flies the skies free of fear.

A Dragon Among Us is Tesser’s story. Walk with him as he learns the human way, and discovers the dark truth about why magic has really faded from the world he calls home.

And just maybe, humanity will remember why dragons were most noble, and most savage creatures again.

Welcome to The Reemergence.

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And now for:

Never Sleep Again

by Steven and Ruth Watson-Morris

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MY REVIEW

DEATH

“Maureen had a secret. Not only was she an odd sort of girl, she saw dead people and animals.

Sunday night she would sit in her flat, invite people that would never come, then play quietly on the Ouija board on her own. Nothing ever came of it, until one night the board spelled out, ‘knock, knock.”

I felt for Maureen. She’s lonely, with no friends after moving to a new city.  I could see why she might anser the board.

Myself, I won’t have one in my house, let alone dare to play with it. I have a healthy fear of what I cannot see.

A very quick read with a fun ending.

THE THIEF

Lucy is quite good in her role as a thief. Afterall, she was trained by the best.

I don’t know if I’d chosen an abandoned, haunted mansion as a place to hide my stolen bootie though.

When I read that Lucy hadn’t seen any ghosts, I knew she soon would.

After a friend turned her in, Lucy rushes to the mansion, and finds all her stolen goods gone. They do reappear, just not how she imagined.

This was a very short story. I liked Lucy and wished it were longer.

THE OLD CURIOUSITY SHOP

I would love to read a full length novel about this one.

Imagine a strange shop of curiosities. The doors open at midnight and people dressed in black hoods came and went. That was my first pique of curiosity.

When it’s rumored the shopkeeper has died, poor seventeen year old funeral assistant, Fred, sees his chance to get a peek inside the shop.

I knew Fred shouldn’t have stepped over that threshold. What happens is no big surprise. I did like the reason the author gave for why Fred couldn’t leave.

Just goes to show, you can’t ever really know anyone, including your own family.

THE BOOGEYMAN

Before Harold died, he was a schoolmaster. He tried real hard to get the children to learn.

After his death, he wandered the halls of Warwick Castle, remaining hidden. But he grows tired of this, and believing no one can see him, he starts to wander among the tourists. It’s not long before he’s spotted.

This was a fun story and I liked reading how a mild man became the Boogeyman.

It really got interesting when Harold had his picture taken and is one of my favorites in this collection.

While I’d love to tell you something about all 13 of these stories, it would make for a very long review.

I’d recommend you get your copy, turn out all the lights but one for reading, hug a pillow, and enjoy these scary good stories.

4 Stars

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Synopsis

Novella of short stories that your nightmares are made of, hauntings, murders, witchcraft all packed into one little book! But beware you may never sleep again!

When the moon has entered its second phase,
and ghosts and ghouls come out to play.
Where is the man who hides under your bed?
He’s hiding under the stairs instead!

This book is for those who like to read short to the point stories, there is a collection of 13 in this small book.
Enjoy!

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